


Chassé

by PrinceShortie



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Homophobia, M/M, Mentions of homophobia, ballet instructor taeyong, chef yoonoh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2017-06-11
Packaged: 2018-11-12 22:40:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11171577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrinceShortie/pseuds/PrinceShortie
Summary: Lee Taeyong was a ballet instructor with a job he enjoyed, decent pay, and good friends. "Your life is still kind of...plain." Ten told him. What the hell did that even mean? He was doing just fine.Jung Yoonoh was a chef at the popular restaurant in town. He followed his father's foot steps right into the culinary field and the rest is history. That is until a certain man caught his attention with wide eyes and fidgety hands.





	1. Lee Taeyong

**Author's Note:**

> Chassé  
> is a classical ballet term meaning “to chase.”  
> Chassé is considered a basic step and is commonly seen throughout ballet and other forms of dance.

"One, two, three. One, two, thr- Not like that!" A loud voice echoed throughout the room in the dance studio, accompanied soon after by a dull thud against the wooden floor. Taeyong didn't hesitate in darting over to the black haired boy that had fallen.

 

His name was Renjun, a student in Lee Taeyong's ballet class. He wasn't a bad kid in Taeyong's opinion, actually he would be surprised if anyone saw him in a negative light given his positive nature and desire to assist the younger kids when they needed help.

 

That being said, he occasionally became too ambitious for his own good or would lose his head in the clouds. This time around it was the latter and he'd let his grip on the guide bar slacken which resulted in an unfortunate tumble. Taeyong wouldn't be at all surprised if the boy had sprained his ankle with how oddly he fell. That wasn't something one could afford to do in ballet of all things. He'd known from many past experiences.

 

Of course, Renjun was only a kid so the situation may not be as dire. Though, It still didn't make for a fun situation.

 

He crouched down beside the younger male and placed a hand between his shoulder blades, helping the boy to sit up straight. He let out soft groan and Taeyong clicked his tongue.

 

"I told you that you have to pay more attention, Renjun."

 

"I was paying attention." The younger chirped at his instructor, putting forth his best effort to make that false statement seem true. He was completely unable to hide the guilt in his expression. Admittedly it made Taeyong chuckle, he really shouldn't encourage that sort of behavior but at least he knew for sure that Renjun knew of his mistake. Even so, he quickly dropped the smile so as not to give any of the kids a wrong impression. Almost anything could be called out as a bad influence by parents these days. Anything except for their own bad habits.

 

It was frightening, really.

 

Taeyong glanced down at the boy's ankle and carefully pressed his fingers to different areas, checking for any pain. "Are you in any pain at all?" He questioned, eyebrows furrowed with worry despite the relief from moments ago.

"Nope, I feel totally fine!" Renjun grinned. A sigh escaped the brunette male and he quickly got back to his feet, helping his student up and then turning towards the rest of the class.

 

"Quiet down!" He'd been too busy checking on Renjun to pay attention to the crowd in the middle of the room as the boys and girls mingled. Some kids waited by patiently, gripping the bar as they waited for their teacher to start class once more and Taeyong silently thanked them.

 

While the man certainly didn't dislike children, they were skilled in the area of screaming and using their "outside voices", as his own teachers used to say. He was prone to headaches if it continued for long. Thankfully ballet focused more on the physical aspect of self-expression rather than the vocal aspect.

 

Taeyong glanced at the clock and inwardly cursed. Renjun's tumble had used up too much time and now Taeyong was unable to mention the lesson he planned on beginning today. Still, the man wouldn't and couldn't blame the younger.

 

For a moment he let his mind wonder about how he could catch his class up but then it morphed from lesson plans and the art of dance to dinner plans and the culinary arts. Right, okay, practice was just about over anyway.

 

Standing in the center of the room, Taeyong clapped his hands together and smiled at the students in front of him. "That'll be all for Friday's lesson and if you need any help remember to have your guardian call me, I always arrive at least 20 minutes prior to our lessons as well." He took a deep breath and then cocked an eyebrow, "Dismissed!"

 

Moments later a wave of children and teens passed by the young adult, running to their cubbies to switch out their ballet shoes and water bottles for sneakers and snacks. He watched them fondly for a moment before surveying the floor in order to make sure no child left anything behind.

 

You'd be surprised with how many hair clips he could pick up after a single lesson.

 

"Mr. Lee!"

 

The male turned on his heels at the voice and forced himself to smile. Mothers. Oh, the mothers of young children....his life would be much easier if they would focus on their children's day at school rather than on his ass.

 

"Mrs. Kim!" He said without missing a beat, "Your daughter has improved quite a bit, it seems she's been practicing." Making small talk with the parents and guardians was most definitely the worst part of his job in relation to his classes for younger age groups.

 

Okay actually, the worst part about his job was that occasionally a mother would grab his ass or biceps and tell him he needed to eat more. He resisted gagging at the thought.

 

Middle aged women were cougars. Half of them anyway.

 

It was mostly the single mothers.

 

There was one time he dealt with a student's father trying to coerce him into having a one night stand.

 

He told the man he'd sooner break his own arm than have a fling with a man that much older than him and on top of that his own student's father.

 

To say the least the kid never came back to the studio and that was fine with him.

 

The instructor tried not to say things about those he taught but the child was an arrogant asshole like his father. Good riddance.

 

In fact if Taeyong had a penny for every time he caught a parent staring at his backside or...his crotch he could pay the rent for his apartment for the next year PLUS groceries. He didn't mean to brag about himself but a 24 year old male ballet teacher in black spandex wasn't a sight people saw everyday.

It was also why he tried to wear plain shorts in this class when possible.

 

After addressing some guardians and their kids and making sure the studio room was cleared out, Taeyong breathed a sigh of relief and made a beeline for his office.

 

He fell onto the love seat so fast that he nearly gave himself whiplash. The 24 year old gently hit each shoulder with a fist in an attempt to loosen the muscles a little. He always felt so tense and exhausted, especially after a lesson; no wonder his friends called him an old man.

 

He still refused to believe that being called an old bag fell under the category of "meaningful names to call your friends." Which is why he called Chittaphon a twink. For some reason it didn't have the same impact...

 

But listen, he was an old soul at heart.

 

Taeyong's office was attached to the dance studio. It wasn't big but it worked, by the door was the leather love seat he often took naps on, a coffee table, and a neat pouch full of toiletries to freshen up with after long lessons.

 

Across from the coffee table was a desk that was decorated with only a laptop, a lamp, and a variety of writing utensils as well as other office supplies. The walls were bare except for pictures of his past classes, a few of his friends, and a cork board with art from the children. It wasn't filled but putting the art up always made the kids happy. Taeyong liked to keep his office organized, the place was not at all grand but that was okay.

 

Besides, he didn't even own the studio, Kim Jongin did. He owned the building itself actually.

 

Taeyong was just an employee, well, all the dance instructors were valued employees. Many would describe him as lucky since he was able to work in a job field he loved and he wouldn't consider those people wrong.

 

Sure, Taeyong may not have fit into the professional world as well as he thought; so he wasn't able to achieve his goal. However, as of present he worked to teach people the art of ballet and participated in local shows, that was good enough for him. He had good friends, decent pay, and...didn't hate his job. Family...family needn't be mentioned in that equation.

 

In any case if Taeyong didn't want to have a rude awakening by falling off the love seat at 9 pm, he should clear out.

 

The younger class was his last for the day so he had no reason to worry about other classes for the night. The male stood after contemplating if he actually wanted to move for a full thirty seconds. Another thirty seconds was spent looking around his office for anything else to grab but anything he needed had already been packed inside his backpack and coat pocket.

 

Did he want to spend money on delivery tonight or should he make something? Did he even have ingredients in his kitchen right now? Taeyong rubbed his tongue against the back of his teeth while deep in thought.

 

They were, however, cut off as he felt his phone vibrate in his hand. "Who would text me right now?" He  muttered to himself as he peeked at the screen only to find out it was none other than the twink himself.

 

He unlocked his phone and pressed on 'Overhyped Hoe', a name that took him ages to come up with actually.

 

Overhyped Hoe:

Hey old man limp your ass down to the new restaurant in town so we can have dinner together!!!

You know, Switch the new place its supposed to be really good.

Well actually its not that new

Since yuta works there and stuff

 

Ty Track:

I just finished my class with the kids?

Dude I'm tired.

Also stop calling me an old man, I'm just a poor old soul

Take pity on me.

 

Overhyped Hoe:

Itll be my treat just cause im in a good mood

I got a new student in my dance class and he's really freaking hot

Like hott

With two ts

You have no option to say no, be there by 7

 

Ty Track:

....

Fine.

 

Overhyped Hoe:

Wear something pretty

 

 

Ty Track:

You suck.

 

Taeyong shoved his phone back into his coat pocket and immediately threw his backpack over his shoulder. Thank god his apartment was near the studio. Once everything was locked up he slipped on his sneakers and darted out the door of the building and down the street.

 

The freezing wind nipped at his nose and made him hiss with realization. It was start of October and he completely overlooked the weather before heading out.

 

Stupid Chittaphon. It'd be fine if he wasn't told to wear something pretty. That's chittaphon talk for semi-formal....or something hoe-ish but the location didn't suit that version this time. What a mess.

 

With his lungs burning, Taeyong hung a right and continued racing down the street, weaving between people and praying to hell and back that he wouldn't trip.

 

Last he checked the time read 5:45 pm. He had to shower and find something in his closet to wear. Something nice otherwise Chittaphon would pick on him all night.

 

Did he have anything that would work?

 

Did his nicer outfits even fit him?

 

His nicest outfits were his performing outfits but obviously ballet and restaurants mixed like oil and water.

 

He jammed the building code number in and entered it, his sneakers making a noise as he pushed off the ground once more and practically ran into the wall of the elevator.

 

Shit.

 

He swallowed sharply and looked around to find a poor women pressed into the corner staring at him with a concerned look. She actually looked terrified. "Good after noon." He dipped his head and then stood straighter and smoothed out his clothing, gasping for air as he did so. He grabbed his backpack strap with one hand and hit the 8th floor button with the other.

 

Then he inched away from the stranger.

 

He probably looked like a lunatic.

 

Christ.

 

He was still wearing his spandex wear. Oh god.

 

Taeyong bit his lip and tugged at the bottom of his shirt, thank god it covered his junk.

 

....Thank god he wore a dancer belt.

 

He was going to kill Chittaphon.

 

The elevator dinged and he immediately shuffled out, covering his face with one hand and now using his other to keep the hem of his shirt over his crotch.

 

The only way this could get more embarrassing was if the fabric had a slit in it.

 

Please. Do not let that happen.

 

He fumbled with the key code and had never gotten into his apartment faster.

 

Slamming the door shut, he pressed his back up against it and then paused to cover his face. He could feel the heat in his cheeks.

 

Half of Seoul just saw his crotch.

 

Oh. My. God.

 

This went from a normal day to one where he wanted to curl up in his bed and binge watch movies while shoving unhealthy food into his mouth.

 

Hell, he couldn't afford to do that even on “normal” days.

 

He was a ballet dancer and an instructor so he tried to eat moderately well.

 

Taeyong rubbed his face with his hands and groaned, kicked off his shoes, hung his backpack up on the hooks by the door, and stepped up from the entrance onto the floor. He slid on his house slippers and attempted to forget the horrors of this evening.

 

At least it couldn't get any worse.

 

Taeyong's apartment was, like his office, nothing grand but it worked for him. He had a small entryway but he utilized the space well. His bathroom was to the right of the entryway at the end of a short hallway and across from there was a wall of closets for storage. By that wall was where his kitchen was. Most of his appliances were more modern and he even had a well-sized fridge (though not a full). It was an eat-in kitchen because he needed to conserve space so he had positioned a small table that functioned as a prep area and your everyday kitchen table with four chairs. His bed was situated against the far left corner with the headboard against the wall and a nightstand beside it. Across his bed were a small tv, a dresser, and a desk with a mirror on it. He had a closed off balcony area accessible with a sliding door where he did his laundry. The window opened wide if he so wished but with this weather no way.

 

His apartment was clean from top to bottom; no crumbs or dust in sight. You could say he was a bit OCD in that sense. But legitimately...as he was diagnosed at a young age.

 

The brunette checked his phone for the time and nearly choked.

 

It was 6:15 pm.

 

He darted to his bathroom for a shower.

 

\------

 

By the time he finished his shower and styled his hair, it was 6:32 and he HAD to pick out an outfit immediately.

 

Taeyong ran into his dresser with only a towel around his waist. He ripped a pair of black boxer briefs from his dresser and slipped them on. In the process he tripped over his own feet and could've sworn he saw satan welcoming him to the gates before his ass hit the floor because he certainly couldn't see himself being accepted into the big Pearly Gates, it'd be nice though. His heart was in his throat as he just barely managed to hold back an actual scream.

 

"Fuck, oh my god..." He forced himself back up and threw open his closet doors then picked through his clothing. "What do I wear, what do I wear, what makes my ass look kinda good?"

 

He grabbed his favorite black slacks and tossed them onto his bed, next was the red button up he'd received from Yuta last year. It looked nice on him but he was unsure of it fitting him properly.

 

Taeyong pulled on his nicest pair of black socks and a white tank top before pulling on the rest of his outfit.

 

The shirt was slightly tighter than he remembered but his reflection in the full mirror by his bed showed no issues so he shrugged it off.

 

Threading his belt through the belt loops as fast as he could, he hopped over to the entry way and set out his black plain toe oxfords then quickly slipped his watch onto his wrist.  
  
(Taeyong's outfit: <http://www.polyvore.com/semi-formal/set?id=212938786#fans> )

 

The male checked over his apartment before shoving the basics into his pocket, pulling on his winter coat, and turning off all the lights. The later it got, the colder it got, the colder it got, the higher electric bills ran.

 

He took off his slippers and exchanged them for his shoes and finally exited the apartment before locking it.

 

Just as he stepped out of the elevator Taeyong checked his phone and bit his lip as he spotted a text….or several texts rather. And it was almost 6:52.   
  
Overhyped Hoe:   
Time is ticking

Are you there yet????  
Tae!!

It’s almost seven

 

Ty Track:

Hold your horses I just got changed, I’m heading out of my apartment building.

Why didn’t you tell me ahead of time?  
This is ridiculous.  
If it weren’t for the free food I wouldn’t be coming.

 

He let out a frustrated groan and once again shoved the device back into his coat pocket before glancing around the lobby of his apartment building. Hopefully there wasn’t anyone around him that saw the events of earlier.

Shaking his head, Taeyong buttoned his coat and marched out into the cold. He then regretted the short burst of bravery and shoved his hands into his coat pockets as he walked briskly down the street.

 

Only when he swore he had contracted frost-bite did he finally enter the restaurant where he felt his cheeks go red as the woman at the front stared at him. He let out a cough and told her he was contacting and waiting for a friend before stepping aside.

 

“Switch” that was the name of the restaurant. The place was popular because it completely changed based on the time of day. In the morning and afternoon it was more cafe orientated but once it hit 3 o’clock they started to shift towards dinner time. Three seemed like an odd time to start dinner but everyone had different tastes so he was he to judge? It had a uniqueness to it, the dim-lights, the brick walls, and the dark furniture….it made Taeyong feel somewhat at peace for a few moments. Only for a few moments though.   
  
Taeyong turned to the large glass windows that showed the busy streets of seoul and somehow it framed the scene perfectly. He got lost in thought for a mere second before swallowing sharply and calling Chittaphon.   
  
“Where are you? I’m at the restaurant.”

 

“Ah, Hi Taeyong!! Did you make it to the place on time?”  
  
“I think so? But where are you?” he checked his watch and glanced around then furrowed his eyebrows when he heard a soft laugh in the background. “Who is that? Is someone with you?” It was difficult to make out what was going on with the clattering of silverware in the background.   
  
Chittaphon laughed, “Don’t worry about it, no one is with me--” Chittaphon burst out into laughter and then he heard a faint ‘stop it’ which was definitely from the other male himself….No way.   
  
This. Hoe.   
  
“Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul. You’re not at this restaurant are you?”

 

He he heard a soft gasp and then the phone was pressed against something, probably his friend’s shoulder he heard a muffled voice whisper, “He caught on.”   
  
If Taeyong wasn’t in the middle of a restaurant he would say some very nasty things into the receiver.

 

“Chittaph-”  
 

“You caught me! Okay, look, no I am not in the restaurant. Though I’d love to be because I haven’t had the chance to go there for dinner but anyway there’s a guy there waiting for you! He’s a really attractive guy in my dance class and I totally heard him saying you were attractive-” Taeyong’s cheeks flushed, “And so I told him I’d set you guys up!”   
  
Where could he even start? “I don’t need to date anyone Chittaphon! You didn’t even ask me about this!”  
  
He heard Chittaphon snort, “You would’ve said no!”   
  
“Yeah that’s the point.” Taeyong snapped.  
  
“Listen, Taeyong you haven’t dated in a long time. Like it’s been a few years. Just have a good night at least. Talk to the guy and who knows maybe you’ll get along. You’re still getting free food either way since he’s paying.”   
  
Taeyong pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, closing his eyes as he tried to calm himself down and breath. “If this night goes badly I’ll never forgive you.”   
  
“Okay! Yeah, yeah, sure, whatever. Go have fun!” And...then he hung up. Taeyong didn’t even know what the guy looked like or what his name was.   
  
“You’re Lee Taeyong, right?”

 

Apparently he didn’t need to. Taeyong turned around and met face to face with a man that was-- admittedly handsome yeah, but something about him was throwing the brunette off. “Y...yes, that’s me and you are… uhm?”   
  
“Oh, I’m Sungho. I take Chittaphon’s adult classes for modern dance.”   
  
“Right.”   
  
“Would you like to go have a seat?”

 

Taeyong’s gaze wandered over the man in front of him and then back to the restaurant setting, “Sure.”  
  


\---*---

  
It wasn’t but 30 minutes later that Taeyong wanted to take the fork in front of him and shank the guy sitting across from him. He was making such a scene in this place. He was so….rude. How could Chittaphon even THINK about setting him up with this guy?   
  
“This food is so disgusting. Who the hell even eats this stuff?” Sungho scoffed, pushing the plate away.

 

“You’re the one that ordered it.” Taeyong muttered, keeping his head down as people stared at them.

 

“What? Yeah, I ordered it because I thought it’d be good but the way it’s made here is just wrong.” What an ass.   
  
“I ordered the same thing, it’s just fine.” It was more than fine, actually. It was delicious.   
  
“Apparently your taste in food is the same as your dance style…”   
  
Taeyong’s head snapped up, “What did you just say?” he bit down on his lip, eyebrows furrowed and his blood beginning to boil.

 

“Ballet. It’s just, ya’ know. Not manly or anything. It’s girly and weird for you to be teaching it. Like, you’re really attractive but I think you’re teaching the wrong field.” Just as Taeyong opened his mouth to say something that would probably bring a grown man to his knees, their waiter came back.   
  
Sungho had already sent back three dishes because he was unsatisfied with them and he was terrifying the damn guy, “I-Is your meal okay, sir?” he stuttered. Oh fuck. Taeyong wanted to get on his knees and apologize to this guy.

 

“No, it’s a fuck up like all the others.” Taeyong didn’t even hold back as he finally just set his hands down on the table and stood up. He felt so anxious, disgusted, and maybe even a little nauseous.

 

All his friends knew he was prone to anxiety but he also didn’t take shit from people. And most certainly not this sad excuse of a human being.   
  
Once more he opened his mouth to speak but the small amount of light in the restaurant was suddenly blocked. There was another presence beside him and he quickly turned to look, eyes wide and hands fidgeting. He curled them into fists and almost choked on his own saliva as he noticed the uniform the man was wearing.   
  
Chef coat.   
  
Sungho stood up and sneered, “Did you make this?” The stranger looked down at the dish in front of Sungho then the one in front of Taeyong which had the brunet flinch.   
  
“In a way, Yes, I did. Are you by chance the customer that keeps sending dishes back?”   
  
“What of it?”   
  
“May I ask your name, Sir?”  
  
Sungho laughed and folded his arms, popping his hip slightly. The sight made Taeyong cover his face, he wanted to vomit. Instead he said nothing and collapsed back into his seat. This couldn’t be happening.   
  
“My name is Kim Sungho. My family owns a far more popular restaurant about ten minutes from here.”   
  
“Oh, I’m very aware.” the man seemed to paused, staring at Taeyong for a moment before directing his gaze at Sungho, “The chefs there were trained by my father and I. My name is Jung Yoonoh.”   
  
Sungho turned so quickly he bashed his thigh against the table and hissed, “What!”  
  
“If you’re trying to promote your family’s restaurant I suggest buying spots for ads or putting up fliers. I suggest you leave while I ask nicely.”

 

Taeyong had been very wrong earlier: His day could absolutely get worse.  
  
Taeyong was now biting his lip so hard that it had begun to bleed. This was so unreal. Was he having some sort of weird nightmare? He was going to murder Chittaphon. Sleep with one eye open you bag of dirt. He ran a hand through his hair and apologized. He lifted his head up and apologized to the chef immediately before making a move to stand up and bow to him however a firm hand on his shoulder made him sit back down.   
  
“I was only suggesting this man leave, you needn’t leave too unless you’re involved with him.”   
  
“I’m not!” he quickly gasped.   
  
Taeyong couldn’t believe the expression that came across Sungho’s face.  

Yoonoh looked back at the other man with a cocked eyebrow, “I thought I told you to leave.”   
  
Sungho couldn’t even say a word as he threw his napkin down on the table, “Wow, two peas in a pod. A prima ballerina and a chef with a nasty attitude.”   
  
And then Sungho was gone and Taeyong felt sick.   
  
The man named Yoonoh said nothing for a moment before he squeezed the brunette’s shoulder and leaned down, “What’s your name?”  
  
The ballet instructor inhaled sharply, unsure of what he should do so he just spoke, “L-Lee Taeyong.”

 


	2. Jung Yoonoh

Yoonoh mulled the name over in his mind. He liked the way it sounded coming out of Taeyong's mouth so he quietly said the name himself, "Lee Taeyong."

Taeyong stiffened at the sound of his name. For a moment he thought to himself about how much he would like to enjoy the other man speaking his name but as of now the atmosphere and the feeling in his stomach wouldn't allow it. 

Taeyong had been looking forward to a night out with his friend but instead ended up utterly exhausted, anxious, and wanting to empty the contents of his stomach in the closest stall. He was unsure of why the chef still stood beside him and he was also unsure of why he was still currently in his seat.

He should have left.

Taeyong should have left while he still had a chance.

He should have done something dramatic like waste his drink by tossing it in Sungho's face and leaving.

Everyone knew that only happened in movies though.

He hunched over the table, chewing his lip with his front teeth and digging his nails into the palms of his hands. 

The brunette had done so well, he hadn't had an anxiety attack in a long time. The last place he wanted to have one was a crowded restaurant during dinner rush while everyone stared at him.

He shakily dragged in a breath of air, squeezing his eyes shut and desperately grasping for something to ground him. 

He felt pain in his palms from the way his fingernails dug into his skin and left crescent shaped marks. 

It had become a bad habit of his in the past; every time he had these moments of suffocation and desperation, he would cling to the sensation. It was at least something.

It didn't work.

He clawed his way through the thoughts clouding his mind. Taeyong looked up from the plate in front of him and all he could think of were the gazes of customers on him and the movement of lips that no doubt generated gossip.

Whispers and judgements.

He whipped his head around to look at Yoonoh. His lips were moving but Taeyong heard nothing. His eyes were narrowed and concerned; Taeyong still could hear nothing.

He was slipping so quickly. Taeyong's grip on reality was slipping so quickly and he could not do a single thing.

There was pressure on his shoulders.

What?

This wasn't the type he created himself, there was actual pressure and warmth. Something or someone was squeezing his shoulders tightly.

When the brunette blinked he came to realize that it was none other than Jung Yoonoh.

"Are you alright? Taeyong?" He sounded concerned and the shorter male realized he could hear again. The words were still muffled to him and he felt like there was something in the man's tone that he was unable to comprehend.

Taeyong felt light headed.

Then Yoonoh was grabbing his wrist and pulling him out of his seat. Taeyong followed the other without saying anything, not able to fully decrypt the situation. 

Everything was fuzzy to him. There was an increasing amount of commotion around them as he was lead to the back of the restaurant and pulled through a door. 

Everything was silent. 

"Sit right here." 

Taeyong sat.

It was moments later when he jolted forward and realized what had happened.

The room was no longer silent: the chattering of customers and the clanking of silverware returned to his ears from behind the door.

"Oh god, wow, I'm really sorry." He choked out, gaze shooting up to Yoonoh's face.

The dark haired male directed his gaze down at Taeyong. Yoonoh was leaning against the wall across from him, probably waiting for Taeyong come to his senses. He wasn't close enough to make the ballet instructor uncomfortable. The brunette glanced around for a second to survey his surroundings and realized it was the break room. 

"You don't need to apologize, really. I think you've dealt with enough for one night-" he paused and bit his lower lip, "Well, actually I don't know because we just met but by the looks of it you weren't enjoying yourself. Sorry for butting in."

Taeyong was rather shocked. 

This man had absolutely no business with him and yet he was concerned for Taeyong, worried even.

Why? Taeyong didn't mean to be cynical but people normally tried to keep their nose out of other people's lives. Except Chittaphon...but he was Thai so it didn't count. Maybe it was a culture thing.

Taeyong was truthfully at a loss. "Who are you?"

"I told you, I'm Jung Yoonoh."

"Yes but why did you help me and how did you know how?"

"Oh," Yoonoh seemed to think the question over in his mind, idly messing with the buttons on his white coat. He opened his mouth, closed it, and then shrugged his shoulders at the man. "Just cuz..." 

Taeyong placed his hands on his knees and sat up straight in the chair, his feet planted firmly on the ground. The posture gave him a little more mental strength when he needed it. 

Yoonoh stared at him blankly before sighing, "I overheard some pieces of your conversation and I was already unhappy with the way that guy was treating you and of course the employees here and what made me sure you weren't like him was that your plate was uhm...clean. So you probably liked the dish. Oh, also I have a friend who gets anxiety attacks too..."

Yoonoh was really analytical, wasn't he? If not then at the very least he was thorough.

"I did."

"What?"

The instructor coughed, "I did like the dish, a lot...it was good." He moved his teeth along his bottom lip. For some reason he was nervous and his stomach felt off. He didn't feel sick though. The feeling was different.

Yoonoh's expression shifted. Now there was a smile on his face, a really wide one that made two dimples on his cheeks far more apparent with a soft flush that spread across his cheeks. His eyes were gleaming and narrowed ever so slightly from the expression of genuine gratitude and happiness.

Taeyong was astonished.

His gaze stilled on the other male as he took time to study his features. Yoonoh's jaw was sharp and defined, slightly round but not much. He had prominent eye smiles that were perhaps a little more than cute.

His smile was...nice.

It was then that Taeyong realized he had probably been staring so he tore his gaze away and looked down at his lap.

Yoonoh, in his own way, felt drawn to Taeyong and couldn't bring himself to mind his own business. Not to mention that the rude man had been interrupting business and disturbing the peace. He wouldn’t stand to let anybody be treated that way if he could do something about it; it just wasn’t acceptable.

Most of all it was Taeyong's defensive posture and expression that had reeled Yoonoh in. He felt an abnormally strong desire to help him somehow.

While Taeyong's gaze was directed at his lap, Yoonoh took time to observe the male's frame. It was slender but he was obviously muscular with wide shoulders, not as much as his own but none the less. Taeyong had large brown eyes which had Yoonoh frankly tripping over himself and as the shorter male's teeth worked on his lower lip nervously, the chef wanted to ruffle his hair. 

That would be inappropriate given that they’d only met moments ago.

His eyes followed the sharp line of Taeyong's jaw which was, without a doubt, sharper than his own. 

It was funny how Taeyong's features battled each other; there were many softer things but many sharper and more distinguished features as well. Still, Yoonoh found the balance they created to be quite handsome.

He was really attractive. Wow.

But had he imagined Taeyong's own eyes staring at him? Was that just what he subconsciously wished to see or had it been real.

He'd met this man less than 20 minutes ago and the brunet was already dragging him in. That was pretty dangerous.

Finally, Taeyong lifted his head. When he noticed the other staring he felt even more self-conscious. 

"Erm..."

Yoonoh tilted his head slightly and cocked his brows before stepping back and releasing a nervous laugh. "Sorry, I was lost in thought..."

"No worries..."

Now the situation was just awkward. Really awkward. He had to say something, "Do you know Nakamoto Yuta, Quian Kun, or Kim Donghyuk by any chance?" These were friends of his that he knew had been employed at Switch.

Yoonoh had to think of the names before nodding, "Yuta usually works the afternoon shifts, Donghyuk works the later shifts, and Kun jumps around but he tends to work early morning shifts. Donghyuk had off today to study for a college exam though. Ah, I usually work the later shifts because I tend to work dinner time but sometimes I come early and do Pastry work."

That was...certainly more information than Taeyong had asked for but it was information he would put to use for sure. Earlier he pointed out how thorough and analytical Yoonoh had been and there was no doubt he'd been right.

Normally you wouldn't be so familiar with people's shifts or life outside of work unless you cared to listen. 

Yoonoh was the type to both listen and communicate. It was strangely comforting to the brunet.

He cracked a small smile and finally stood up from his seat.

"Those guys are all friends of mine. I intended to come here sooner but I've been busy lately and haven't gotten a chance." Taeyong was glad to know his friends worked at a reliable place.

"It's a shame your first time here was a really...uh...well, negative experience." Yoonoh frowned. In the ballet instructor's opinion, it wasn't totally bad.

"It wasn't all bad, I didn't have an anxiety attack in the middle of a restaurant because you knew what to do...." That sounded a lot more solid in his mind, huh. Well, damn. He covered his mouth with his fist and coughed, "Thank you for helping me out." He said quietly. It'd be nice if the other didn't notice how flustered he was.

That was wishful thinking on Taeyong's part.

A little too wishful...because his flushed cheeks were the thing that Yoonoh had been most focused on. He looked rather nice in the Chef’s eyes. But gosh, he really shouldn’t be staring.

Yoonoh soon was focused on the words the brunet just mumbled, he was actually glad he’d done something? Well, he didn’t want to brag or anything but he hoped the other would be grateful of his help; it was much better than being yelled at for intervening in business that had nothing to do with him. Believe it or not, it had certainly happened. Yoonoh smiled softly.   
He then realized that perhaps Taeyong could use a small pick-me-up after the incident. The young chef couldn’t do very much but he was able to do at least this. 

"What's your favorite drink?"

"What?"

"Your favorite drink?"

"Uh...well in this weather I like hot chocolate or green tea..." 

"Stay here." Yoonoh turned and almost ran face first into the wall (promptly sending Taeyong into panic mode) but he smacked his hand against the brick wall and yanked the door open with his left hand before slipping out of the room. Hopefully unscathed.

Yoonoh may have scratched his palm on the brick though...

The thought had Taeyong developing a strong urge to check the Chef's palm to ensure it wasn't hurt but he stayed where he was told to. Besides, being a chef meant the man was used to little scratches, right? 

Mm, that didn’t mean they didn’t hurt though. 

A large amount of experience with a profession didn’t completely numb the pain involved with said profession.

Taeyong furrowed his brows and sighed but he settled back down in the chair and awaited Yoonoh's return. 

If he would return.

It was only a moment later that Taeyong heard a loud thud against the door which had him choking on his own saliva as he stared at the door and within seconds a thai boy had burst into the room panting with a red face.

Once Taeyong stopped coughing he looked up at the other and withheld a hiss. Instead he lowered his voice and gripped him by the arm, "Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul."

"Taeyong I'm so sorry I had no idea that guy was so terrible oh my god I shouldn't have set this up are you okay!" Taeyong cringed at the other male's loud voice.

Just as he narrowed his eyes and fisted his hands to unleash all his frustration about Sungho...he relaxed. 

Chittaphon was a mess

The man never stepped out of his house without styling his hair or making sure his style was "on fleek."

But this time, this time Chittaphon's hair was everywhere, his cheeks were red, he was wearing things that normally wouldn't be put together according to his standards, and he looked completely disheveled.

He couldn’t possibly take out any emotions from the event that happened this evening on his friend. It didn’t seem right to the man.

Taeyong bit his tongue and sighed "I'm alright, are you okay?"

"M-Me?? Tae I'm fine, this is about you! Are you alright?" He grasped The ballet instructor's shoulders and shook him.

The younger male was so taken aback. Truthfully, Taeyong didn’t want to admit that he’d almost fallen again after so long. He’d been doing so well with managing his attitude and thoughts. Telling Chittaphon about it would only make him more upset than he was as of now. Not telling him would be the easier way out. Unfortunately, if he were to lie about this to Chittaphon, his best friend who had been there for him during the other rough times, he would regret it. His anxiety wasn’t the worst. It really wasn’t as bad as many other people. Even so, his breakdowns were frightening for him, to say the least. 

He stared at the other for a moment before he swallowed roughly and frowned, "I almost had a panic attack..." he whispered.

It only took a moment for Chittaphon to have his arms wrapped around Taeyong and rubbing his back, "I'm so sorry, Tae....I am so, so sorry." Chittaphon was gentle with the way he held his friend. Taeyong was not at all weak but he was vulnerable at times and when he witnessed the brunet’s first attack he vowed to do whatever he could to help his friend.

Taeyong relaxed in the arms of his best friend and buried his face against his shoulder, "You're so lucky you're my best friend." He flicked Chittaphon's side, trying to play it off as nothing.

"Oh shut up, I'm so sorry." He mumbled. “I really am, I know it’s not easy for you to handle those. I won’t ever set you up like that again, I promise.” he squeezed the taller’s shoulder to reassure him.

Just then the door swung open for the second time and in stumbled a flustered Yoonoh who...got even more flustered by the second.

Taeyong pulled away and gasped, "T-This is my best friend, Chittaphon! He, uh, he came to make sure I was okay..."

Chittaphon stood there with a puzzled look on his face before everything clicked. "Oh, and who is this good lookin' guy, Tae?" The mood from just now had completely vanished and now Chittaphon was curious. 

A curious Chittaphon meant bad things for Tae.

Taeyong elbowed him in the side. "This is Jung Yoonoh...he's a chef here and he uhm helped calm me down so I wouldn’t have a breakdown."

Chittaphon's eyes widened with realization after a moment of thinking. "So you're Johnny's friend!! well Dongyoung's friend who is a friend of Johnny." It was a miracle he had remembered the man's name because he had never met him.

Meanwhile Taeyong stood there rather clueless, he vaguely knew Dongyoung through word of mouth through his friends but he had absolutely no clue who Johnny was.

"Yeah, that's me...Dongyoung is my best friend actually." He confessed, utterly confused at this point. Was this all really by chance? 

Yoonoh actually knew Johnny, they were more like acquaintances than anything else but he was a decent guy. He was an english teacher at a local college so he was often busy but his laugh and jokes were infectious.

“Wha…” How did the modern dance instructor know more about Yoonoh than he had? That wasn’t to say that Taeyong was supposed to know a lot but he met Yoonoh first and learned a few small things while Chittaphon had never even set eyes on the male in front of them. He knew his friend had connections but...gosh. He made the world seem so small.

Chittaphon looked the dark haired man from head to toe and then back up. He carefully took in every crease in his clothing, every wrinkle on his face, and every detail of his character he could pick up on.

Alright, yeah, this guy would be perfect.

"First off I want to...well...apologize for the scene caused by Sungho in the restaurant...that can't be good for business or the employees and second of all thanks for helping Tae." Chittaphon, while he now had another goal in mind, sincerely felt at fault for this whole situation.

Just by observing his features, Taeyong could easily decipher the genuine responsibility his friend was experiencing. While it was indeed his set up, the brunet wouldn't hold it against him.

Though it was an absolute disaster....there was a silver lining and it wasn't as if Chittaphon was attempting to harm him.

Yoonoh seemed flustered by the sudden apology and he quickly shook his head in an attempt to downplay it all. "It was no big deal, really! I just wanted to help."

Taeyong found himself withholding a smile. Yoonoh was sincere in his actions and it was refreshing to find someone like this…it would be nice if he could get to know him more. Maybe they could become friends? 

Though man said so himself, he just wanted to help. There was no other reason. Maybe he had no intention of making friends with Taeyong. But there was no harm in trying right? But maybe there was...

Why was the instructor having these thoughts, they were so unlike him. Invasive and annoying thoughts. He would be better off with them gone from his mind. 

Perhaps he should leave soon because without Yoonoh in his sight...ah, you know what they say. 

Out of sight, Out of mind. 

Taeyong paused once more to bow his head at Yoonoh ever so slightly, “Thank you again for helping me.” he murmured. A feeling of unease settled in his stomach. What was he supposed to do? 

Chittaphon bowed fully at the chef once more and stood back up before turning to Taeyong, “Should we leave? Do you want to come to my place tonight?” It was obvious that he felt the desire to comfort Taeyong after the events from earlier. 

“Don’t worry about it.” Taeyong patted his shoulder. “We better get going though, we both have to work on lesson plans for class, right?” 

“Shoot! You’re right, I need to figure out some choreo for my younger class.” Chittaphon muttered. 

While this conversation continued, Yoonoh stood by, unsure of what he should do. It seemed they were getting ready to go but….He glanced down at the cup in his hand which conveniently reminded him that he had an excuse to interrupt. “T...Taeyong, you, uhm, I brought you this. It’s a warm cup of tea. Well actually green tea, I hope that’s fine.” 

For what must have been the 7th time that night, Taeyong was surprised by the man in front of him. He reached forward and took the cup from the chef, quickly pulling his hand back and wrapping his other hand around it as well, “Thank you, Yoonoh…” It was hot and it was more comforting than what he would have imagined. 

Kind of like Yoonoh himself. 

Never before had Taeyong been so grateful he was able to keep thoughts inside his head rather than blurting them out because that was most certainly embarrassing. What a stupid, cheesy thought to have.

Still, he smiled thoughtfully at the cup in his hands, trying unbelievably hard not to cringe at himself. "I'll repay you sometime." 

"There's no need!" Yoonoh said quickly, raising his arms up and shaking his hands for emphasis.

Taeyong rather enjoyed how flustered the other became with small actions and words. "I will because I want to! As for now, me and Chittaphon should take our leave, I also have to go pay for the meal..."

"No, I'll take care of it! It was admittedly all my fault so I'll cover it." Chittaphon searched his coat pocket until he located his sleek red wallet.

Yoonoh bit his tongue to prevent himself from saying something too outrageous like he would cover everything. As wonderful as that would be, it was easier said than done. He could, however, still do something, "Just pay for your own meal, I'll cover Kim Sungho's mess, I'm sure the manager and my father will understand." 

Yoonoh was far too nice for his own good.

"Besides he paid part of it...I think." Now he seemed rather uncool but the expression on Lee Taeyong's face said otherwise and it had Yoonoh's feeling less self-conscious.

"Are you sure?" Taeyong asked, clearly uncertain of Yoonoh's words.

"Yeah, it's okay, really."

Despite the reassurance Taeyong felt it wasn't right. "If you say so..." he glanced at the time on his watch and coughed, "-We really should get going though, geez, it’s getting late." 

"Ah, right!" Yoonoh opened the door for both males and allowed them to exit. "Enjoy the rest of your night...and Taeyong,"

The brunet stopped in his tracks, turning back to look at the chef.

"Take care, be careful tonight." Yoonoh's words were soft and his eyes betrayed nothing because there simply was nothing to betray. They were clear and everything about him had Taeyong's heart twist in his chest. 

"I-I will and you too, Yoonoh."

Chittaphon was cackling at his side so he quickly jabbed him with his elbow before grabbing his shoulders and pushing him towards the front of the restaurant.

"Looks like the night wasn't a total failure~" Chittaphon teased, earning himself another jab from his companion.

\----

And now here they were, walking towards Chittaphon's apartment against Taeyong's better judgement. "I told you I don't need to stay the night, Chittaphon, I'll be fine."

"Listen, Tae, I'm not taking any chances with you. You nearly had an attack and you haven't had one in a long time...it might have affected you more than you think. Just...come on, for my sake and your own?" He casted a look at the other which would put the cutest animal's 'puppy dog eyes' to shame.

"Agh! Fine....you ass, you know I can't say no to that look." He ran a hand through his hair. Perhaps the black haired male was right but that wasn't usually how his attacks worked...even so, the thought of returning to his empty apartment seemed less appealing than ever.

"Yes!" Chittaphon threw his arms around his best friend and began chanting something about staying up all night, drinking a can of beer, and sharing secrets. He may have mentioned a pillow fight; Taeyong wasn't paying attention.

He had invested his attention into the warm cup held tightly in his hands, his only real source of warmth right now. It was unbelievably nice for Yoonoh to have given him this.

He took a sip and smiled.

\---

They arrived at Chittaphon's apartment before long and after entering they both kicked off their shoes. Chittaphon slid him the slippers he kept over here and he headed for the couch where he plopped down onto it and sighed, "I know your apartment like the back of my hand."

"Of course you should, we're best friends plus I've hauled you over here more times than I can count." The raven haired male came over with a cup of water for Taeyong but he shook his head and sipped the tea Yoonoh gave him, it was almost gone but he wanted to savor it.

Chittaphon, on the other hand, let out a chuckle. "So, a chef? What a great catch, Tae."

"Knock it off, he just helped me out and was nice to me."

"Oh you poor thing, did you notice the way he was looking at you?" Chittaphon teased.

The brunet reached over and smacked the other's arm, "Hush."

Taeyong's face was red though and thus the thai man kept grinning.

Taeyong had to do something to change the topic or the other wouldn't stop talking about Yoonoh all damn night. He hurriedly looked around the apartment hoping for a topic to pop into his head--- then he saw it. 

"Chittaphon, what's that?" 

Taeyong set the cup of tea down and stood from his seat. He grabbed an article of clothing from the chair across from him and held it up, it was a shirt...that definitely did not belong to his best friend.

Chittaphon froze in place. "Uh, well, hmm....would you believe me if I told you my taste in clothing made a 180?" He grinned nervously at his friend.

"Nope, tell me what this is."

"Erm..."

Taeyong lunged at his friend, unable to stop the laugh that escaped him as he remembered their call from earlier, "I knew someone was here while we were on the phone!! Who was it? Is this serious or another fling? How old is he? Do I know him? Is he a student of yours?"

"Ahhh, stop it! You're worse than me!" Chittaphon was trying desperately not to smile but he was biting his lip in such a way that was proof to Taeyong...

Chittaphon really liked this guy.

"Tell me!" Taeyong's smile was wide and he was ecstatic to realize his friend may have found someone that would be a good fit for him.

On the other hand, the brunet had to judge the guy for himself. If the instructor had learned anything over the years, Chittaphon was rather naive when it came to trusting people. He wasn't stupid by any means but he didn't have the best judgement in relation to people.

That may have been obvious with the appearance of Sungho.

He viciously attacked the other's sides by tickling him and watching him wreath around, laughing like a hyena.

"T-Taeyong-!" the other gasped, arms flailing uselessly in a vain attempt to push his assailant off.

"I won't stop until you tell me!"

"Okay! Okay! I'll tell you!!" he gasped for air, unable to form any sort of explanation or description during the tickle assault. All he could do was plead.

Alls well that ends well; once Taeyong was satisfied he plopped back down onto the couch and pulled the blanket beside him onto his lap to get more comfortable. 

As the good friend he was, Taeyong allowed Chittaphon some recovery time before the interrogation began. Taeyong could feel Chittaphon's glare at this very moment while the thai worked hard to gain back his breath but the brunet could only grin.

"Okay, basics."

Chittaphon sat up in his chair and adjusted himself so he was comfortably able to look at his friend. "Yeah, go on oh mighty Ty Track."

The ballet instructor briefly stuck his tongue out before continuing, "First I want his name, age, and occupation."

"Johnny, 25, college english professor." Chittaphon bit his lip as he admitted the details.

"Oh. Oh my god so that's who you mentioned earlier! How long have you known each other? Are you guys official? How did you meet?”


	3. Un Changement De Rythme

((from now on i will be using chittaphon's nickname as his name in the fic!))

The ballet instructor briefly stuck his tongue out before continuing, "First I want his name, age, and occupation."

"Johnny, 25, college english professor." Ten bit his lip as he admitted the details.

"Oh. Oh my god so that's who you mentioned earlier! How long have you known each other? Are you guys official? How did you meet?” Taeyong paused, "What the hell dude, I feel so out of loop."

The thai was currently cringing at the tone of Taeyong's voice and it was visible that he was regretting his decision to withhold information. Shame on him. He deserved the guilt.

At least that's what Taeyong really wanted to think but he couldn't. Not with the expression that was beginning to appear on his friend's face.

"I'm sorry Tae but I was just...so caught up and I wasn't sure it was like ya' know...a thing I was gonna be able to hold onto."

Well, Taeyong could understand. Yeah, his best friend was attractive and talented; there were so many positive aspects about himself that even he acknowledged, however, that didn't mean that the male was invincible.

"Alright, alright....okay. I get it but still, Ten I'm your friend and if you're...worried about this sort of stuff then talk about it with me."

Their relationship was great, Ten and Taeyong just clicked. They were like two peas in a pod, sort of; they had their own differences. Their main issue laid in the fact that when it came to speaking about certain emotions, they didn't do so well.

"I realize I'm not the poster boy for relationship advice, I'd say that's you to be honest, but when you have issues I want you to talk to me about them..." Taeyong murmured softly, fiddling with the blanket in his lap.

He knew without looking that Ten was staring at him, causing his cheeks to flush a soft shade of red.

"Thank you, Taeyong." his friend smiled at him and then reached over to ruffle his hair.

Taeyong batted his hand away and started to chuckle. His friend took that as an opportunity to tackle him onto the couch and begin tickling him back, "Revenge!" The male shouted.

The ballet instructor wreathed helplessly, squealing and grunting until suddenly the other stopped.

"I'm glad you're my best friend." He heard Ten mutter before adjusting his posture and sitting up beside the brunet.

Taeyong gasped for air before tilting his head in the direction of the other male with a small smile on his face, "Tell me about this Johnny guy before I start my own investigation and believe me, you don't want that to happen!"

Taeyong's threats seemed empty because because of the other's tendency to radiate kindness but Ten had learned the hard way in the past and he wasn't planning on suffering once again.

"Okay well you gotta tell me what you wanna know first!"

"First you need to know that if this guy isn't up to my standards then he can't date you." Taeyong straightened his back and crossed his arms over his chest. The posture affected Ten only slightly but Taeyong was absolutely serious.

"Yeah, yeah I know." Ten resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

Ultimately Taeyong just wanted him safe and in a relationship he was happy in so he couldn't say no to him.

The thing was....Ten was so unbelievably happy with Johnny, he felt warm and loved and cherished...he could go on.

"Okay-"

Taeyong's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "I want to know how you guys met."

"Okay uhm...where should I start?" Ten seemed to be having some sort of internal crisis about how to explain this to Taeyong.

"Just start from the beginning, day one!"

"Okay that's easier I can do that! So do you remember that day you couldn't come to class because you were sick so you had to cancel?"

"Yeah, that was..." Taeyong looked off to the side and bit his lip, "ah, last month right?" His gaze focused back on the thai.

"Yeah, like a few weeks ago. So Mark showed up because he wanted to talk to us about how things were going with college and Donghyuk, but you weren't there so it was just me and Sicheng that day. Well Mark walked in with some guy that we didn't know and it turns out the guy was a professor at Mark and Donghyuk's college-"

"What? Then why the hell was he with Mark? Mark isn't even 20 yet!" Taeyong looked ready to grab his phone and lecture Mark then find that professor and hunt him down. Ten smacked his leg.

"Tae listen to me! Let me finish before you start something without understanding! Mark will freak if you attack him like that." Ten sighed and shook his head, "Anyway, as it turns out the guy was Mark's childhood friend and they grew up together and so Mark was surprised to find out he taught at his college."

Taeyong's brows shot up, "What a crazy coincidence."

"Mhm," Ten nodded. He started poking at his friends slacks before continuing, "and so that was Johnny. Sicheng got really into conversation with Mark so me and Johnny started talking about stuff and we sort of...flirted a little bit."

Taeyong was (very poorly) withholding a snicker.

Ten smacked him again. That had Tae pulling back and mouthing a soft 'ow'

Ten continued on with his story, "And I found out that Johnny came with Mark to the studio because he was thinking of picking up an activity on the side since he'd fallen out of just going to the gym. Cause teaching takes up an awful lot of time but he wants to stay fit and attending the gym and having the same schedule was boring to him and so that was actually perfect right and by the way while he talked he smiled and his smile was really nice and his eyes-"

"Ten, Ten!" Taeyong snapped his fingers in front of the other's face, "Earth to Ten, come back to Earth. Who will interfere with parents trying to chat me up if you don't come back?"

Ten huffed and grabbed his hand, "I heard you the first time! Also i'll let you suffer from the cougars if you do that again- but I know I was ranting..." the male admitted with a look of defeat.

"This guy really makes you weak, huh?"

"I-No! He....no?" The thai sputtered.

Taeyong cocked an eyebrow. The black haired male slumped forward, "Okay, yea. Anyway...I took the opportunity and told him to join my modern dance class and that he just pays the fee and he can show up to classes when he's able to."

Taeyong's jaw dropped and soon he began to break down into small bursts and fits of laughter. "Dude you...you're totally into him."

"Thanks captain obvious."

The older's laughter cut off, "I still haven't declared him worthy of you though; Mark's childhood friend or not."

"Totally couldn't figure that out even though we've been friends for years." The thai snorted.

"Yah! Don't get fresh with me, mister." Taeyong shook his finger at the other with an air of playful disapproval.

Ten lunged forward and grasped Taeyong's hand, pulling it down and allowing himself to fall back into his original position, "Enough about me and Johnny! Tell me more about this chef; Jung Yoonoh was it? You think he's cute don't you?"

Taeyong had withdrawn his hand in order to pick up his cup of tea unfortunately while he was trying to take a leisurely sip he coughed. Then sputtered and choked and stated at Ten with tea dribbling down his chin.

The raven haired boy stared at him, mouth open and eyes wide. "Whoops." He quickly reached over and wiped the tea off his friend's chin with his sleeve. Normally he would NEVER use his shirt for that but he wanted to live for one more day.

"I never said anything about his looks or a-anything and don't try to set me up again!" the older's cheeks were flushed but his eyes told Ten that his determination was for another time and another place.

"Mmkay...whatever you say..." he wouldn't let the subject go that easily. Putting it on hold couldn't hurt though.

Taeyong continued to frown at his friend, eyes narrowed at him slightly. Normally Ten would retaliate in someway if not another so he had to pay close attention.

Ten could tell that Taeyong was currently in fight and flight mode which meant bad news if he made the wrong decision.

Naturally he went the safe route.

"Wanna order some chicken?"

Taeyong, though he'd eaten not long ago, absolutely wouldn't deny the offer of food. "You're paying." he declared as he pushed off the couch and made a beeline for Ten's well lit kitchen.

The thai had a drawer where he kept menus that appeared in his apartment "seemingly out of nowhere" (at least that's what he thought). After reaching in Taeyong quickly withdrew the correct menu and returned to the other's side.

The expression on his friend's face was without doubt one of mourning. Taeyong scoffed, "Listen, you suggested it AND ruined my night so don't make me seem like the bad guy. Besides you got your paycheck like last week."

They received them on the same day so Ten couldn't avoid him! He'd sniff out every little white lie and fake act.

The older clicked his tongue, leaned over the coffee table, and tossed the menu to his companion, "Just get the 20 piece, I won't eat that much."

Ten paused and suddenly glowed with gratefulness, "Thank you for having mercy on my pitiful wallet." he wiped a nonexistent tear.

Taeyong failed to conceal a chuckle so he waved him off and headed towards the Thai's bedroom.

"Next time you're buying me all the samgyeopsal I want!"

Ten felt a sense of dread and joy simultaneously. He quietly prayed for his wallet.

Meanwhile Taeyong pulled open the drawer where Ten stored his pajamas and grabbed the ones he normally wore while staying over.

He stayed over so damn often that they even discussed clearing a drawer for him. He rejected the idea specifically because Taeyong, knowing his friend so well, was certain the other would panic with the lack of wardrobe space.

As he'd said before, the guy had a major obsession with his fashion. A.K.A he had too much freaking clothing.

Scooping the PJ's up, he headed out of the room. Tae stripped his clothing off in the bathroom and dressed himself with the red t-shirt and black sweat pants.

A few more moments were spent correctly folding his formal clothes and storing them safely.

"Taeyong! Come on! I turned on Howl!"

"Howl's Moving Castle? Shit, count me in, hold on!"

The brunet twisted the knob and shoved open the door, ran down the hall, and dove onto the suede couch.

"Begin." He whispered.

The other snorted and pushed play on the remote.

The rest of their night consisted of consuming way too much food, watching more Studio Ghibli movies (as they were Taeyong's favorite), and sharing stories about students in their classes.

The two boys also participated in a minor (read: major) competition, whoever laughed first had to buy the other lunch.

...Taeyong lost.

He always did.

\-----

After all was said and done, the two of them both on the verge of sleep, Ten stood abruptly and stretched his arms out.

Rubbing his eyes with a quiet yawn he leaned down and poked Taeyong's cheek. "Let's head to bed."

Taeyong jerked out of his limp position. For some odd reason the first thing that came to mind was a certain chef's smile accompanied by two deeply set dimples.

He shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts and kicked out his foot in the process, effectively hitting the coffee table and stubbing his toe.

Ten gasped while Taeyong yelped, hands wrapping around his poor toes holding them tightly, "Oh my god! Fuck!" He inhaled sharply and squeezed his eyes shut.

Ten stood by absolutely speechless before turning to his friend and putting a shaking hand on his arm.

Taeyong quickly looked to the other with concern before his previous feelings turned to anger. "Yah! Are you laughing at my pain?" He shouted, left hand smacking the other in side as his right held his foot. Ten was laughing so hard that his stomach was cramping and soon there was no noise coming from his mouth, only little wheezes and squeaks.

"Yah!" Taeyong smacked him again and stood up from the couch that had just moments ago been the most comfortable place in the world. "You suck." Taeyong muttered and shoved past the thai that was struggling to stay upright.

"T-Tae wait!" He gasped out, making no move to follow the other just yet. "What made you so distracted as to kick a table that's right in front of you!"

"I'm not making breakfast for you tomorrow, you don't deserve my food!" The brunet ran right for Ten's bedroom and slammed the door shut before diving under the blankets of the other's bed.

Tae wasn't genuinely mad BUT Ten had to be punished for such betrayal. He was so flustered. Like hell he'd tell the thai what distracted him.

Moments later a red faced Ten opened the door and timidly walked in, "Taeeee i'm sorry, please make me food! I'll dieeee." He dragged out his words with a whine.

There was, however, no reply from the clump under the covers.

"TaeTae!"

Fuck, that was the nickname Ten used when he couldn't find a way to weaponize his puppy dog eyes.

"Fine! Okay, but....buy me lunch."

Ten opened his mouth to argue with Taeyong because he had won the battle earlier fair and square.

He then closed his mouth, determining that arguing would do more harm than good.

"Fine, okay, deal." The male huffed before climbing onto the bed and nuzzling his friend by gently head butting his back.

"Go to sleep." Taeyong reached up and across to grab an extra pillow. Once he had a firm grip the male threw it at his long time friend and then turned on his side with a huff.

Ten collapsed do to the force of the pillow but he only laughed in response, "Okay, good night, Tae." The thai crawled under the covers beside his friend and buried his face against the fluffed pillow.

\------

The weekend had been spent working on plans for their dance classes and making sure everything was in order. Taeyong created a detailed plan for the parents which also functioned as a schedule and though it was subject to change, the parents really appreciated it.

If the brunet were a parent he would want an organized plan for lessons as well. Some parents truly needed one to keep everything manageable and Taeyong truly understood that.

Even through his busy weekend Taeyong found thoughts of Jung Yoonoh slipping into his consciousness.

\----

By Monday morning the young instructor found himself awake on his best friend's couch; just barely able to function. He needed some coffee if he wanted to be more than a mindless freaking zombie.

Taeyong stared up at the white ceilings with an unfocused gaze. It was early in the morning, right? It had to be with how silent the apartment was; with the exception of the soft snoring he heard coming from Ten's room.

Judging by the older male's past experience....he'd fallen asleep on the couch and so the thai had simply gone to sleep in his own room. That was fine, he preferred not being woken up anyway.

Except here he was with a back ache and an unwillingness to get up.

The brunet had gone home when he awoke on Saturday...only to once again return to Ten's apartment in order to watch a new movie that had come out on netflix. It was too late to return home so Ten told him to sleep over...and they started rewatching a tv series after dinner...and then his mind went blank.

Ah, that was probably when he had fallen asleep.

Rather than dwelling on the uneventful night that yesterday was, Taeyong chose to pout over his lost sleep.

He wasn't actually do to get up for at least another hour. Well-- he checked his phone but cringed at the bright light of the screen, squinting his eyes for a moment before braving the bright glow once more. 7:13 am.

Taeyong didn't need to be up until 8:30 am.

Dropping his phone back down on the table, taeyong turned and pushed his face into a couch cushion. He inhaled deeply and released a low groan.

Damn. 

Realizing there was no solution to his inability to fall back asleep, the brunet stretched out his limbs. he threw his arms over the armrest making sure each limb was well aware that he was awake and planning to stay that way.

His plans were set in stone despite his resisting body.

Taeyong pushed himself up onto his knees and once again reached over the arm rest, this time retrieving his duffle bag that contained basic necessities.

The brunet began his normal routine albeit quietly as not to disturb Ten.

He took a quick shower as well; in his book most if not all mornings only started properly with a hot shower. The male absolutely loathed the sensation of feeling oily or dirty.

After entering the kitchen he propped himself up against the counter. Breakfast. What could he make? Actually...

With a glance at the clock he came to the conclusion that he didn't technically have to make anything. Not today at least, he could change it up and actually go out for breakfast. Ten wouldn't be too happy about it but Taeyong was absolutely itching to get out.

He was unsure what caused this sudden desire for a change in pace but he couldn't ignore it. It was an itch in the back of his mind.

"Okay...out it is." Tae swiped a sticky note and jotted down an explanation before collecting anything of his that had gone astray and neatly tucking them into his bag.

Because he was the good best friend that he was, Taeyong got Ten's coffee maker started.

Though he had a craving for coffee in order to function, he was going to get his coffee when he had his breakfast.

\----

Finally the brunet was walking down the street, bundled up in his warm winter coat and scarf. Unlike that disaster from Friday he was wearing actual pants this time and one of his under armor shirts with it. Once he got to work he would change his pants; he had no desire to let all of Seoul see the outline of his crotch once more.

Every store the younger passed seemed unappealing to him. Nothing was catching his eye. Taeyong sighed into his scarf, there were only so many cafes open at 8:30 AM.

What the heck was he looking for? Actually it was more like what the hell was his subconsciousness looking for!

He irritatedly ran his hand through his hair and glanced around the area once more.

His gaze stopped wandering. Of course. Of freaking course.

Switch.

Switch was a cafe during this time; it was perfect.

Maybe a friend of his was working now....perhaps Yoonoh was on duty.

Taeyong pushed open the door of the cafe and paused to grin ever so slightly at the warm atmosphere. The first noticeable change in the cafe was that during the day it felt much lighter and more laid back. It wasn't as embellished as it had been before. Even the table clothes were gone and exchanged with simple napkin holders and sweeteners.

The young instructor inhaled the scent of caffeine and sweet breakfast pastries as he headed towards the counter. He could either sit there or go to a table; for yet another change of pace the brunet settled for a seat at the bar.

Dropping his bag by the chair and stepping up onto the bar of the stool to sit down, he observed the menu displayed above. He then glanced at the pastry display.

Tae decided he'd stick with a caramel macchiato, he liked to drink sweeter things more often than not.

He then picked out a ham & cheese croissant for breakfast because eating too many sweets wouldn't guarantee a day free of upset stomachs. As a ballet instructor being sick would certainly ruin classes; it was even worse with the younger classes because they for some inept reason were unable to comprehend that a sick teacher meant no leap frog. It especially meant he wouldn’t allow them to dog pile him before dismissal.

That being said it wasn’t something that he allowed every day but it just so happened that he started off the week that way in order to stimulate the hype for the rest of the week. Alluding to that, Taeyong’s occasional stomach aches absolutely enjoyed making an appearance during the start of the week.

Not today stomach.

Not. Today.

The majority of folks were rushed in the morning and often yelled at the waiters and barista but the atmosphere of Switch was ultimately different. Just as the creation of the restuarant intended, it established an air of what Tae would call….homey tranquility? The cafe was warm and calming; it was almost like sitting by the fire with a warm blanket around his shoulder and a cup of hot cocoa nestled in his hands. Despite the familiarity of a home it was distinguished enough for customers to realize they were still in a public area that despite offering goods and services, demanded basic respect.

Taeyong favored that sort of place. In his younger years if he heard the phrase “The customer is always right.” one more time he was going to grab the closest pouch of fresh fries and shove it down said customer’s shirt. 

Actually if anyone had the balls to say that to him now with any other intention besides degrading the phrase….they would be dead to him.

Without even meaning to the brunet had spent time, too much time if you asked him, staring down at his phone. Thankfully he still had plenty of time to relax and eat….once he placed his order of course.

He raised his head in order to look around the shop once more, straightening his legs out ever so slightly in the process. Tae idly wondered if any of his friends were working the morning shift today. It’d be nice to see them. A quick text should answer his question though.

Coincidentally he didn’t even have to pick up his phone before he obtained an answer; which came in the form of two particular hands resting on the bar in front of him. The smile this man held was almost audible.

"Taeyong!"

The brunet looked up and his eyes met with another pair of large brown eyes. They were clear and full of excitement, accompanied with a pair of thick but neatly groomed eyebrows and a bright grin.

"Kun!" Tae gasped, his own smile appearing instantly.

Kun seemed as if he was going to jump the counter just to pull his buddy into a bear hug but he calmed himself down.

"I haven't seen you in such a long time! Have you finally come to soak up some rays from my blinding smile?" Kun smiled wide, revealing his pearly teeth and causing Taeyong to laugh.

"I actually just came for some breakfast but I can multitask if you want." Kun reached over and flicked Taeyong in the arm and soon they were both just chuckling.

Kun momentarily turned his back towards his friend and seconds later he was placing Taeyong's order on the counter.

"One caramel macchiato and a ham & cheese croissant for Mr. Lee-Ty-Track."

"Jeez, you're horrible stop." the older male whined as he retrieved the order. Still, small puffs of air were escaping him as he laughed silently.

"Please, Tae, I know my humor is golden....shining brightly, like my teeth."

Taeyong declared it official that they complimented his smile far too much. His ego was getting too big for his own good.

"Oh shut up, dude."

He sipped his drink and then took a bite out of the croissant, humming with satisfaction after swallowing.

"This is pretty good."

Kun cocked an eyebrow, "You haven't been to Switch before, have you?"

Taeyong glanced up, "I came here for dinner a few days ago..." though he really didn’t need to reveal any details about that night. "I've never been here in the morning." after all, that wasn’t a lie.

"You should come more often! Keep me company."

Taeyong couldn’t help but click his tongue at the others suggestion because he knew very well what that would mean, “You just want me to spend all my money when you’re on the clock so you’ll get a promotion.” he glanced up from his drink, catching his friend biting his lip and smiling.

“It was worth a shot, though really. You should come by more often. I make pretty good drinks, I was born to be a barista, wasn’t I?” he cocked an eyebrow and brushed his fingernails against the red apron before blowing on them.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, Kun.” as much as he’d like, he couldn’t deny those words. The constant bragging, though annoying, was something Kun had earned the right to. He made damn good coffee. Taeyong’s reply clearly wasn’t sufficient enough for the barista as he caught the man staring at him with a displeased expression.

“Fine, yeah, it’s good. Okay, it’s super good….better than the other place.” the other place meaning the cheap run down shop Taeyong originally went to because he couldn’t pull ten bucks out of his ass every morning for a cup of coffee or a drink to wake him up. Not to say that all run down shops were terrible but listen that obscure hipstery hole-in-the-wall bullshit was not true for every cafe one came across.

He took a large sip of his drink and set the cup down before licking the cream from his lower lip and then leaning back in his booth chair ever so slightly. Momentarily, the young instructor grasped his knees, digging his fingertips into the fabric of his pants. Should he ask about Yoonoh? He was low-key afraid that Kun would pick up on something….but he wasn’t exactly sure what because ha...he just wanted to become friends with the guy. Yeah.

“So, your chef….uhm….Jung Yoo-”  
“Ten told me you met our Chef, Jung Yoonoh.”

Kun had cut him off. The issue, however, didn’t lie in the fact that Kun had cut him off. It lied in the fact that he mentioned a certain thai man that could not, to save his life, keep his mouth shut.

Thus, that was Taeyong’s cue to stop, grab, and go. A.K.A grab his order and get the fuck out. He dropped a five on the counter and smiled at his friend, “Right so, tell Ten I said he’s a dirty little traitor and that I’ll see him at the studio when he decides to show up.”

He immediately pushed the cafe door open and headed out into the cold once more, temporarily wanting to find a frozen object and shove it into his own chest and end his suffering. That just forced him to stop in his tracks. Why was he even embarrassed about ANY of this to begin with?

Juggling his drink and croissant, the young man pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed a number.

“Tae- what was that all about why did you l-”

“Tell Jung Yoonoh I said hi because he seems like a cool dude!” he pulled back and hung up immediately, shoving his phone back into the safety of his pocket once more.

He then promptly choked on his own saliva. Oh my god. Christ. Taeyong darted to the dance studio and shouldered the door open before promptly collapsing on one of the many red chairs located in the lobby. “I am an idiot.” he muttered, setting his food down on the table in front of him and deciding to accept his unfortunate and embarrassing fate. No one made friends that way.

His cheeks were red and all he could do to prevent himself from screaming into the closest pillow was to shove a piece of his croissant into his mouth and sip his drink, allowing himself to sink further into the depths of crippling embarrassment. God forbid Ten find out what he had just done.

But again, that was an unlikely turn of events.

Just as he was feeding his desire to self-deprecate another familiar voice reached to him.  
A soft but obviously evident lisp was heard in the way the man talked and he could only lift his worried gaze for the tenth time that morning…..on the bright side, he spotted an angel. Dong Sicheng.

Well, he was only an angel when he chose to be but perhaps it was his lucky day.

“Sicheng.” he whined, eyebrows furrowed. The younger male hurried over to his friends side and settled down, patting Taeyong’s shoulder. “What happened? Did Ten do something weird again.”

“Ugh….you could say that.” the male mumbled, passing a broken off piece of his sandwich to his friend.

Sicheng popped it into his mouth and sat back against the red chair to think for a moment, “Well, even if you don’t tell me about it now I’m sure I’ll hear all about it when Ten arrives here so enjoy your freedom for now. Thanks for the bite though.” he hummed, leaning forward in his chair.

So much for that angel part.

Dong Sicheng was another instructor at the studio. He taught traditional chinese dance and was honestly quite the master at it. No one could be as memorizing as Sicheng when it came to his field. Taeyong enjoyed sitting in for his sessions or observing him practice when he was allowed to; he found it to be relaxing.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t always say the same for the man himself. Once Sicheng had his eyes set on a goal, he would get it no matter the path...even if it meant using aegyo on his own friends.

Cringeworthy, yes….but far too cute. Dong Sicheng was a weapon.

He pushed his fingers through his hair as Sicheng stood from his chair and left. He returned shortly with a glass of water which the brunet took with a grain of salt and gulped down.

It didn’t take long for Taeyong to gather his belongings (and his shattered pride) before he heading to his office where he remained as he finished his breakfast.

Today was going to be a very, very long day.


End file.
